And I'm Torn
by Fire Witch
Summary: Ron's in love with Hermione, Harry's in love with Hermione, and she returns both of their attractions. Now, add Ginny in as a dashing damsel also in love with Harry, and add Draco in as Hermione's new confidant, and you get this rather pointless fic...
1. Torn: 1

Torn  
  
  
a/n: I don't own the charachters, I don't think I even own the title. But, I do own the plot.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Hermione's amber hair blew in her face, sticking to her tears, as she stood by the heaving ocean. The noise of the waves crashing upon the sandy beach (a/n: well, duh it would be sandy, but okay) drowned out her sobs of anguish. Every once in a while, she would moan, "Why?" or "Oh, Harry" or "So sorry, Ron" or something of the sort. Her friendship with the boys had changed this year.  
  
The conclusion of her fifth year had brought sadness to her heart, even though Hermione enjoyed seeing her parents again. She had missed them, but had a feeling that she would miss two other people more. Harry and Ron. Yes, their friendship had changed.  
  
***  
  
It all started on the train, as it sat in wait at platform 9 & 3/4. Hermione had been speeding towards the wall separating it from the muggle world, eyes shut, hoping she would escape a yelling Mr. Dursley. Harry followed close behind her, shouting back at his uncle every couple of steps.  
  
"She's my best friend"  
  
"I never thought much of you. Going off with one of them, one of their sluts... It's just like poor Petunia's sister, that Lily." Mr. Dursly put a disghusted emphasis on Lily, his pure loathing for her was evident  
  
"But-"  
  
Harry's last words to his uncle were lost to Hermione as she carreened (did I spell that right?) through the wall and onto Ron. He started to angrily yell something as he, with Hermione on top of him, fell to the ground, but then he realised that this was Hermione on top of him. As they landed, Ron's face not an inch apart from Hermione's, Ron felt himself toung-tied.   
  
"I'm glad you fell under me," he finally managed to get out.  
  
a confused look passed accross Hermione's face, then she began to smile. "You mean, glad YOU fell under ME?" Hermione asked, through chokes of laughter.  
  
Ron blushed from head to toe. "I, erm, I just meant that..." To tell the truth, it appeared to Hermione that Ron had no idea what he meant.  
  
"I understand that you..." Now it was Hermione's turn to blush. "That you were happy I didn't kill myself." Hermione smiled, and promply stood up, only to be run over by a very angry Harry.  
  
"Hey, Harry, why are you in so much of a hurry?" asked Ron.  
  
Harry ignored his friend's comments as he stared into Hermione's brown eyes.  
  
"My uncle almost got me. He seriously thinks that-" Harry lowered his voice so that no one but Hermione could hear him "that you've been sleeping with me."  
  
Hermione blushed, laughed, coughed, talked, and smiled, all at the same time.  
  
"I *cough laugh cough* can't bel *cough laugh cough* ieve that he *laugh laugh cough* thinks I'd *laugh cough laugh laugh laugh* sleep *laugh laugh laugh cough* with YOU!" Concluded Hermione, rather loudly, as she burst out into an amused caughing fit.  
  
Harry had blushed about then, and said something similar to "I'm not that bad..."  
  
***  
  
Hermione came back to reality and joined her parents. Great, she thought, I'm torn between loving my two best friends, and I can't even speak to either of them without blushing. I'm completely in love, completely screwed, and completely torn. 


	2. Torn: 2

Torn, Part Two *yay!*  
  
  
Hermione flopped down onto her soft, cushy bed, tired from her day at the beach. After her parents had talked, leaving her to remember her year at Hogwarts, they had gone on a long, grueling hike. Beach terrain could be rough, with its deep sand and trecherous rocks, but the land Hermione had walked on had just been hell. Hermione shut her mind to memories of the day's activities, she was not in the mood for thinking about athletics. She just wanted to sleep. As Hermione lay in bed, she remembered what it had been like the first day at Hogwarts.  
  
Hermione's ride to Hogwarts had been rather uneventful, aside from a short fight between Harry, Neville, Ron, Malfoy, and Goyle. The sorting had been interesting, Gryffindoor had aqquired Magna, Sara along with some others.   
  
As the gryffindoors headed up to their dorms, after learning the new password, Yule, they sauntered up to their beds and collapsed on their beds. Hermione did not go to sleep though, as in her mind she carressed Harry's every word and Ron's every expression.  
  
***  
  
Hermione awoke to ths sound of Parvati giggling.  
  
"Yeah, Padma, can ou BELIEVE it?"  
  
Hermione had no idea what Parvati was giggling or talking about. Hermione sighed, and went down to breakfast. Upon arriving, a strange seen greated her eyes. Harry was sitting down, a strange owl in front of him, while the rest of the Gryffindoors crowded around him.  
  
As Hermione drew closer, she saw tears in her friend's eyes. He held a thin piece of paper, with wiggling, loopy writing scralled on.  
  
"Harry;  
I am sorry to have to inform you that Sirius Black has been captured by Death Eaters. Though we haven't found his body, we suspect the worst. Come see me... you know the password."  
  
There was no signature *duh*, though Hermione knew who it was from. Dumbledoor. Hermione herself could hardly keep from sobbing, partly because she knew and respected Sirius, partly because Harry loved him so much. Her body convulsed with silent sobs and unseen tears.  
  
"Oh, Harry..." Hermione managed, when she finaly managed to fight her way to Harry's side. She brought her tone low, and whispered in his ear "Let's go see Dumbledoor right now. Stand up. Ron will follow." It was all Hermione could do, she simply had to get Harry some privacy. Ron, Harry, and Hermione exited the Hall with false composure, for all 6 of their eyes streamed tears.  
  
They passed Malfoy in the hall, and he sneered at Harry. Hermione suspected that he knew exactly what the letter said, why Harry was crying. Hermione felt rage begin to brew in her blood, she felt her fists begin to clench. Hermione stopped, and began to turn to fight Draco. Only Ron, gripping her shoulder tightly but gently, held her back.  
  
"Hermione, not now," he cooed, in a soft, gentile, and saddened tone.  
  
Hermione nodded her head, and they stalked into Dumbledoor's office after telling the gargoyle the current password, Jellycat.  
  
Dumbledoor was inside, waiting for them, he knew Harry would come. He hadn't know about Ron and Hermione though, and surprise was evident on his face (a/n: on his face? What was I thinking?). Silently, Dumbledoor walked to Harry, hugging him, motioning Ron and Hermione to do the same.  
  
Hermione's heart jumped at this closeness with both Ron and Harry at the same time, and the felt blood rushing to her face.   
  
Harry also felt his heart race, and Sirius didn't seem to matter for a moment, as long as Hermione was near.  
  
Ron forgot about why this moment of closeness was made possible, he didn't want to remember. He simply savoured this moment, so close to the one he held dear.  
  
The hug was over too quickly for the trio, and as they began to talk with Dumbledoor, Hermione took Harry's hand and sqeezed it in a supportive yet suggestive fashion, while Ron stood, dismay on his face.  
  
***  
  
Hermione jerked her head up, not wishing to remember that day and what had happened after their little visit to Dumbledoor. It looked like Hermione would not get any sleep her first night back in her own bed.  
  
***  
  
A/N: Sorry it was kinda confusing, but for now, I think that I will do all the chapters like this, Hermione present, then Hermione past. And, uh, a little help with what can happen next? I'm stumped! 


	3. Torn: 3

Torn, part three  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story but the plot. All names, including book titles, are taken by other people.  
  
Hermione raised her eyes from the book she had been reading all night, a simpe, happy muggle creation entitled "Wild Magic" when she heard her mother's footsteps outside her door. She dove under the covers, discarding the book, and whisked her eyes shut. It seemed as if the moment her eyes saw the black, a need to fill them with visions, of something, anything, came over her brain, and she found herself swept up in memories of what happened after that squeeze of the hand.  
  
***  
  
Harry and Hermione, hands entangled, stod in Dumbledoor's office, Ron standing close, his face a portrait of horror. Hermione's bliss was about to be rudely interupted.   
  
Ron, not caring for eticuit (a/m: is that how it's spelled?) stormed over to Dumbledoor's desk, grabbed the nearest heavy thing, and threw it in Harry and Hermione's general direction. Unfortunately, Dumbledoor was bent over very near to the two's connected hands, and the stray paperweight hit him square in the forehead. Dumbledoor uttered a soft, short, sound, that was reminiscent of "Purple Mushroom Salad" and then, he was out cold.   
  
Hermione was dumbfounded. "Ron, what the HELL was that?"  
  
The red cleared from Ron's eyes. He hadn't even noticed it was there. "I dunno."   
  
Harry, angry at Ron for ruining his moment with Hermione, knocking out his mentor, and adding pissed off to his long list of negative emotions, hurled himself at his now ex-best friend.  
  
Hermione, now shrieking, managed to pull an angry Harry off of an injured Ron. "Shouldn't we, you know, take him to Madame Pomfrey?"  
  
Ron reluctantly aggreed with this idea, as did Harry, and the three trouped over to the infirmary, carrying an unconscious headmaster between them.   
  
"Well, it seems as if Albus is going to be alright, though I wish he would be more careful about animating all those objects in his office." Ron had informed Hermione and Harry that it would be better if the way Dumbledoor had been knocked out was better if not mentioned; Madame Pomfrey was a big girl and would figure something out.  
  
Ron chose this time to speak up. "Yeah, and SOMETHING" he glanced at Harry "Hit me in the arm pretty hard. I think it might be broken."   
  
Hermione, who had been cooing seductive consolences to Harry, jumped up and began to pester Ron about wheather he was alright, did he need her to stay with him, could she do anything to make him feel.. better?  
  
***  
  
Hermione rolled over in her sleep, but did not wake, and her mother left Hermione alone with herself, her dreams, her thoughts, and her memories.   
  
A/N: I know, I know, not the best, but, I have something special planned for the end! Please, please don't kill me, though. 


	4. Torn: 4

Torn, part four  
  
a/n: sorry it took so long for this one to get started! I've had a lot on my mind.... ANyhoo, here it is!  
  
Hermione put down her supplies list for Hogwarts and proceeded to bang her head against a wall. Hogwarts. It would be coming so soon. She wasn't sure what it would be like to go back, with so many memories still fresh in her mind.  
  
***  
  
Harry hadn't broken Ron's arm, but he had bruised the bone. As they stomped out of the infirmary, Ron angry at Harry, Harry angry at Ron, and Hermione just plain confused, they saw Draco Malfoy in the corridor, snogging his Slytherin slut, Pansy Parkinson. The trio tried to ignore them, but Malfoy pulled away from Pansy just long enough to ask Harry how the family was doing. Harry ignored this, but made a mental note to curse Malfoy durring potions. He briefly smiled at the thought before Hermione's reassuring hand on his shoulder pulled him back to reality.  
  
"I've got to go to Quiditch practice" he said.   
  
"Wouldn't you rather stay with me?" she asked in as sexy a voice she could, which, in her oppinion, was far from Padma's well rehearsed tones.   
  
"Actually, I think some normalacy in his life will help him cope," stated Ron. He wouldn't let Harry alone with Hermione, if there was a way he could stop such a thing from happening.  
  
"I think I will go to Quiditch. You two shouldn't worry about me."  
  
"But..."  
  
"It's okay, Hermione. We could play wizards chess, or exploding snap, or do... other things."  
  
Hermione considered this, and decided that maybe Harry would have a better time playing Quiditch than with her. In fact, she assured herself, normalacy would be good for him. And a little alone time with Ron wouldn't hurt anything.  
  
***  
  
"I win again! Ron, what's with you? I've never won a game of wizards chess against you in my life!" cried Hermione gleefully. "It's as if you're letting me win!"  
  
Ron blushed ear to ear, but held up the charade. "No! You're just too good to beat me! You must have improved over the summer!"  
  
"I'd better not break my streak. How bout we do those other things you spoke of," suggested Hermione with a glint in her eyes.  
  
"Other things? Well, I didn't have anything particular in mind."  
  
"I know!" shouted Hermione gleefuly. She jumped out of her seat and ran over to grab Ron's hand. "Come on! I'll teach you how to play. Stand right there. Good. Now, close your eyes."   
  
"What now Her-" Ron was silenced by something closing over his mouth. Despite the rules of Hermione's game, he opened his eyes, to find Hermione's staring right at him.  
  
"You loose."   
  
***  
  
Hermione folded the list and darted into the street to catch Crookshanks. "Silly cat. Don't go running off like that!" She stood up, the ginger cat in her arms, and turned around. Two headlights mesmorized her. The car slowed down, but it couldn't stop. Upon impact, Hermione skidded accross the pavement, coming to a halt in front of her house. As everything went black, two, silver lights were burned into her memory.  
  
A/N This means that everything will be getting LONGER! (applause) I know, you all wanted it. 


	5. Torn: 5

A/N: I own nothing except for this dinky little laptop I'm doing my work on. And that doesn't count. So don't sue me. Also, I apologize for the looong delay in getting this chapter out. I've been sooo busy what with school and all...  
  
-Thoughts-  
  
***  
  
"I lose, eh?" Ron asked, once the kiss was broken. "Seems more like I won something if you do that, Maybe you should change the rules of the game if that's what you call losing."  
  
"Ah," said Hermione, "But I'm not done." Hermione pulled Ron closer to her, feeling his hot breath on her cheek distinctly. She gazed into his deep blue eyes and noted how they seemed to twinkle in the lighting. She looked away. This was not going to happen to her.  
  
Ron had different ideas of what was going to happen to Hermione, though, and leaned down a bit to kiss her again. Hermione turned her face away.   
  
"No," she whispered. "What about Harry?"  
  
"Nothing about Harry!" Ron replied, his tone equally as soft. "This is about you and me, not him."  
  
"He's our best friend, Ron," Hermione murmered. "If that doesn't qualify him as involved, I don't know what involves a body. He's got just as much to do with this as you or me." Hermione's voice was rising, and anger was seeping into her soft voice. "I don't think you should just discard him like that. You should have a bit more tact than to do so in front of a girl you're trying to score with. That's what I am, right? Someone you want to score with?"   
  
"Don't shout, Hermione!" hissed Ron. "You're more that just a girl I want to score with, you're my best friend, and I l-"  
  
"I don't want to hear it," Hermione snapped. "I'm going to go watch Harry practice." Hermione whirled and ran out of the common room.  
  
This was just great. She'd kissed Ron (of all the stupid things to do), but worse, he'd tried to kiss her back. If Ron was the only part of the equation that mattered, Hermione would have been jumping for joy, but there was also the Harry variable. Hermione might have a chance with Harry, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to blow it by doing anything with Ron. Sure, she wanted to do _plenty_ with Ron, but she also wanted to do just as much with Harry, and she wasn't sure which she wanted more. Ron had just made it clear that Hermione had a chance with him, but did she want that chance? What if she took it and ended up ruining all possibilities with Harry? What if she took it and ended up wanting Harry more?  
  
"'Mione!" yelled Harry gleefuly to Hermione as she neared the Quiditch Pitch. "We just finished. Why aren't you in there hanging out with Ron?"  
  
"I don't want to talk about it," mumbled Hermione. Harry couldn't hear her, of course, for she was over 200 feet away from him.  
  
"I'll be over there in a second, let me just put my broom away!" Harry yelled, ignoring Hermione's lack of audible answers. He proceeded to stow his broom in the broomshed, then race accross the field to reach Hermione. "What's wrong, Hermi?" he asked sweetly.  
  
"Nothing." Hermione replied, trying to sound as collected as she wanted to, but failing miserably.  
  
"I know you too well for that!" Harry muttered, smiling. "Something's up, and I have a feeling it has to do with our redheaded, firey tempered little Weasley. Am I right? What did he do to you? Do you need me to talk to him about anything?"  
  
"He didn't do anything, it was all my fault," Hermione sobbed. She hadn't realized she was crying until she spoke. Teary eyed, she recounted her story to Harry, leaving out the bits with his name and replacing her thoughts about him with thoughts about "someone".  
  
"Shhh, shhh," Harry crooned to her, wrapping his arm about Hermione's shoulders. "Everything'll be allright. I'll bet that 'someone' likes you, who couldn't? The only problem I see here is your internal battle. I-"  
  
"Harry," Hermione laughed through tears, "you're not a therapist, so cut the jihad shit!"   
  
Harry looked hurt. "You don't believe me?" he querried. "Really, the only thing that'll stand in your way is yourself. The real question is about who you want, not who wants you."  
  
"Since when are you an expert on this? You never did very well with Cho, it seemed that after you got her to go with you, you lost all interest, and haven't gone with a girl since."  
  
"I have my reasons," Harry said, sighing. "and I just didn't know Cho. All I really liked her for was her body. I know that my reason now is not about looks."  
  
"Yeah, well, you're one of the lucky ones, who knows what he wants." Hermione said dejectedly. -All I know is that I'm hopelessly in love with both of my best friends. Here Harry is, being all comforting to me, and all I can do is bitch and moan about "someone" and Ron. I am such an idiot.-  
  
"Hermione," Harry said after a pause, "you wouldn't happen to want to tell me who this 'someone' is, would you?" Hermione shook her head. "Well, if I knew, I could tell you whether or not he, it is a he, right?" Hermione nodded her head. "Well, I could probably tell you whether he liked you or not. Then, at least you would know whether or not you should even bother holding off with Ron and all."  
  
"Harry, you don't want to know who it is," Hermione said. He wouldn't, either, she decieded, for it would ruin their friendship. Especially if Harry didn't have feelings for her.  
  
"Hermione," Harry began, as if to say something, but then stopped. After a minute, he ventured a question. "Hermione, is it me?"  
  
"What?" Hermione asked, surprised.  
  
"Is this certain 'someone' me, Hermione? I won't get all scared and weird if it is, or anything, I'd just like to know."  
  
Hermione didn't answer at first. A thousand possibilities ran through her head. It was Harry, so what if she told him and he liked her too? They could go riding off into the sunset on his firebolt and forget about Ron. But if Harry didn't like her, then would Hermione be content with Ron? For some reason, she was beginning to think that she liked Harry better. If Harry didn't like her, she was almost sure that she wouldn't be able to just forget about all of her attractions to him and go out with Ron, but if Harry did, she had the feeling that she would leave Ron behind in a flash. And hurt Ron very deeply.  
  
"No, it's not you," Hermione stated after a bit. She thought she saw disapointment flash accross Harry's face for a moment, but it was too quick for her to be sure.  
  
"I see," Harry said rather coldly. "I'll be changing, now. I think you should go with Ron, then, and just leave whoever this 'someone' is behind. If you won't even tell me who he is, he must be someone pretty terrible." Harry turned to the changing rooms and walked off, leaving Hermione standing alone on the pitch.  
  
She stood there for a few moments, wondering what had caused Harry to become so distant. There wasn't anything that she said that could have offended him, was there? She blinked back some tears that had come to her unbidden, then turned and ran into the Hogwarts building. She didn't stop running until she had reached her dorm, where she collapsed and allowed herself to break down and cry.   
  
"Harry!" she wailed. "Ron!" she cried. When her final sobs subsided, Hermione was asleep, dreaming of one raven haired Gryffindoor and zero red haired Weasleys.  
  
***  
  
A/N: Okay, so I'm leaning towards Harry... someone change my mind if they have objections... 


	6. Torn: 6

A/N: No one was waiting up for me *sniff* but it's here anyway... here's And I'm Torn PART SIX!!!!  
  
-Thoughts-  
  
***  
  
A few weeks trudged by for Hermione, with Harry avoiding her and Ron and Ron avoiding her also. Hermione herself was avoiding Ron, but she did dearly wish to have one friend, and couldn't understand why Harry would leave every time she entered a room. It was on one cold winter's night that she decided to confront him in the Gryffindor Common Room. Harry was curled up in his favorite chair, reading, and for once he hadn't noticed Hermione come in and could not avoid her pointedly.  
  
"Harry," she said, sitting down in the chair next to him, "we need to talk."  
  
"Why?" he asked, snapping his book shut. "There's nothing to talk about, you've made everything clear enough."  
  
"WHAT have I made clear?"  
  
"Nothing, damnit," yelled Harry, standing up to leave. Hermione noted that he had a sexily graceful way about him. -Stop it- she told herself. "Absolutely nothing, I see. You made it clear that nothing about me was as interesting as whatever you see in Ron."  
  
"What are you talking about, Harry?" Hermione whispered, staring into Harry's eyes, pools of green fire. Someone could fall into those eyes and never come out, and be content doing so... -That's not what I need to think about right now.- Hermion blinked, calming herself. "I never meant anything-"  
  
Harry cut her off with his shouts. "Yes, I'm sure you never meant anything by telling me that you had no interest in me. I'll bet it was just a mistake."  
  
"Whan did I ever say that?" Hermione shouted back. "I remember telling you that I had an interest in someone, but don't remember stating that I had no interest in you. Don't put words in my mouth!"  
  
"Are you saying you do have an interest in me, then?" Harry asked, bringing his voice lower, much to Hermione's relief.  
  
"I don't know what I'm trying to say, so why don't I just leave now? I don't think I'll have much fun chatting with you anyway, seeing the mood you're in," Hermione hissed before shakily striding away. "Get out of my way, Ron," she shouted when her other best friend appeared in her path. "Please, I don't need this right now!"  
  
"'Mione," he whispered, "if I had known that you liked Harry that night, I never would have tried anything-"  
  
"I DON'T _LIKE_ LIKE HARRY!" she shouted, the room falling silent. Ron stared at her, gaping. After a moment, Harry ran out of the Common Room up to his dorm. "Shit," Hermione whispered.  
  
"You idiot!" yelled Ron. "Stupid git! HARRY'S YOUR BEST FRIEND, for god's sake! Did you have to go and do that? Now he'll... I have to go, 'Mione." Ron bolted off to follow Harry.  
  
"Uh, Hermione?" Ginny asked, timidly aproaching the fifth year. "Are you okay? I'm sure Harry'll be alright after a bit, he's probably just a bit upset. He's liked you for ever so long, and... this is just a bit of a shock, I think."  
  
"He likes me?" Hermione asked softly. Ginny nodded. "HE LIKES ME?" Hermione shouted. Ginny winced.   
  
"Yes, but not so loud," Ginny requested. "Their ears are all open. So does Ron, just to tell you, though from what I heard, you already know that, seeing as he said he tried something on you one night, so the real question is which one, if either, of them you like. What's the answer?"  
  
"Both," Hermione said, sighing.  
  
"Both?" Hermione nodded. "Both. I see. Do you know which one you like better?"  
  
"Er, Harry, I think, wait, nevermind, Ron, no, actually-"  
  
"So you don't know. Great. Uh, I kinda want Harry, so could you have Ron? I mean, he's my brother, so I don't think he'd work as a second choice for me."  
  
"Yeah, maybe, I dunno, I might like Harry better... and there are a few second and third choices. Look at them," Hermione said, gesturing to Collin Creevy, who was snapping photos of Ginny and Hermione, and Neville, who was watching them with something that might have been classified as yearning.  
  
"Uh, no... but Ron has a good heart, and you saw how upset he was after what you did to Harry. That really was sort of mean by the way, but that's not the point, so, anyway, what I mean is, he only wants well for his friends, and he saw Harry in need of comfort, so he pushed aside the opportunity to pounce on available Hermione."  
  
"You're right," Hermione said. -And he is cute. Really cute. And his red hair gives him a unique air about him, and he IS on the quiditch team this year, and he's not stupid.- "If you see him, tell him that I'd like to chat."  
  
"Sure," Ginny said, grinning. "This'll be great, I might get my Harry!"  
  
"Yeah," Hermione said, a bit unsure, before turning to leave. "See you, Ginny," she called over her shoulder as she ducked through the portrait. Off to the library, where she could get some peace and quiet to think in. -How can anybody get anything done in that Common Room? People are always having fights and breakups, it's never silent. You can never study effectively in a place like that.- She entered the library, pulled out a book at random, and sat down to read it.  
  
"Granger?" asked a voice which Hermione knew all too well as that of Draco Malfoy. What could he want with her?  
  
"Yes, Malfoy?" she said snappishly, whirling. "What have you come to torment me about today?"  
  
"Oh, nothing in particular," he drawled. "I was just wondering if you could give me a bit of help on this Arithmancy problem. The Ravenclaws refuse to, and who would want help from a Hufflepuff?"  
  
"I'd assume you'd be more against recieving help from a Gryffindor," chuckled Hermione nervously. "Er, couldn't you ask a Slytherin or something?"  
  
Draco sighed. "I would, but there aren't any in the calss, in case you hadn't noticed," he said, a bit ashamed.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I suppose I could, so pull up a chair and show me the problem." Draco sat down.  
  
"Well, it's not just one problem. I don't understand any of the questions that are asked."  
  
Hermione sighed resignedly. It was going to be a long study session.  
  
***  
  
Hermione gasped for air, slapping her knee. "Yes... he actually..." she trailed off, falling into fits of laughter. She was surprising herself by having a great time with Malfoy. Wait, scratch that. She was having a great time with Draco.  
  
"Believed you?" asked Draco, his face a bit red from lack of air.  
  
"Yup!" They both began to laugh again.  
  
"Could you please keep quiet?" asked Madame Pince firmly, who had somehow made her way over to their table. Draco and Hermione both immedeately pulled themselves together.  
  
"Of course," Hermione said, smiling. "We're very sorry to be causing the disturbances."  
  
"Well, I suppose it's alright, just don't be doing it again, alright?" she told them, softening up when she noticed Hermione. "I don't want to have to give you two detentions."  
  
Hermione and Draco stifled laughter as she turned and left them.  
  
"Anyway, back to the work, where were we?" Draco asked after regaining his composure.  
  
"Oh, er, yes, the work, I think we were on problem one?"  
  
"Ah. Yes. How long have we been working?"  
  
"Uh, two hours," Hermione said, frowning. "Though I wouldn't call it working."  
  
Draco smiled at her. "Yeah, well, we'd better work on it so that you can go back and patch things up with Potter and Weasley," he said.  
  
Hermione froze, remembering why she'd stormed off to the library in the first place. "Why do you think things need to be patched up?" she asked, trying to sound casual.  
  
"Hermione, I'm not stupid. Why would you stoop to the level of having fun with a Malfoy if you had two perfectly nice Potter and Weasely best friends?"  
  
"Er, so you're a bit more perceptive than I thought," Hermione said, unable to hide being flustered. "Do you want to hear the whole story, or do you just want to work on the problems?"  
  
"Whole story," Draco replied, smiling. "Then, homework."  
  
"Okay. I don't remember when it began, but..." Hermione found herself telling Draco her whole story, the attractions that she felt towards Harry and Ron, what Ginny had said to her, and her indecision. "And, the worst part, that they are both horribly pissed at me."  
  
Draco looked at Hermione with concern. "So, you can't decide between Harry and Ron, even though you seem to like Harry better? Even though he likes you, too? And you could have Ron also? Who is your second choice, and with Ginny in the running, you're willing to go for?" Hermione nodded. "Then isn't it obvious?" yelled Draco. "Go for RON!"  
  
Hermione stared at Draco for a moment before getting up. "You're right," she yelled over her shoulder as she left the library. "Thanks for the advice, see you later!" She opened the library door and slipped through.  
  
"Wait!" Draco yelled to the shut door. "What about my homework?" when Hermione didn't return, Draco squeaked indignantly, then looked down at his arithmancy book. "I am so screwed."  
  
***  
  
A/N: No, this is not going to become a Draco/Hermione romance, don't worry... I just thought that I'd give him a part in the story, seeing as I felt like it. And I didn't want him to be an asshole like he was in the beginning. Yeah. 


End file.
